Has anyone bought one of the series 2 yet? I heard about this rifle a couple of months ago, and still havent found a decent review on it. I find it almost unbelievable that Weatherby is offering a sub-moa rifle for $489 msrp. Cheaper than dirt has them for sale at $440, but I havent seen them anywhere else. All I can say is that I definately want one of these, but I would like to hear some feedback on them. The stock on them is probably a cheap injection molded plastic, but I need a synthetic for the wet winters down here in the south anyway. Can anyone tell me more about this rifle, or am I just going to have to buy one (I plan to anyway ).

The Howa rifles? I just reserved a Howa 1500 Ranchland Compact .243, will be picking it up next week. Still a synthetic stock, but it's the Hogue over molded stock, NOT a cheap piece of hard, slick plastic. My Remington SPS Tactical has the same stock on it, and I love it, very grippy even with wet hands, and the design just happens to fit me like it was made for me. Price on the Howa is about $450. The Compact has a 20" barrel, but the regular Howa 1500 is about the same price, and comes with a longer barrel, depending on model. I looked at a lot of other rifles before I picked the Howa, the stock was the deciding factor for me. Later.

I have owned 3 Vanguards, and with the right ammo all three were sub-MOA. It is my understanding that the guaranteed rifles are nothing special -- just examples picked from regular production that shot sub-MOA when tested at the factory, and were then specially marked (and marked up a bit in price).

I just bought one chambered in 25-06, total price with tax and all was $517. The scope i ordered will be here on Monday and by the end of the week or on the weekend i will be shooting it and doing the barrel brake in and getting it zeroed in. Personally the stock feels great to me, the griponite inserts are nice and it definitely feels good in my hands and it shoulders well. It weigh's 7.25 lbs which is 1/2 a pound lighter than the original. The new matte bead blast finish they put on these i think looks absolutely fantastic, IMO. The trigger is adjustable but I have dry fired it a couple of times and it feels really good like it it, not sure i will need to mess with it at all. Anyway I'll find out in a few days and can hardly wait to shoot it. I'll update after I have shot it. It comes in a stainless version also for about $100 more.

I bought the old version Vanguard (1.5 MOA) last year and it is definitely a shooter. My handloads will easily go 1 MOA or better. The synthetic stock on my rifle is definitely NOT a cheap plastic model. It is solid, durable, and feels great.
As another poster mentioned, the new Series 2 has some changes (upgrades?) that I'm not familiar with. I would say, if the Series 2 is anything like the old Vanguard it would be a great bargain.

I've got one of these new ones and have been waiting 2 weeks to shoot it and simply haven't been able too. Hopefully this week I can and the stock to me feels really great. The gripinite inserts a really nice. The trigger is very crisp and creep free !

I won a Vanguard Deluxe, which was the last year of the really fancy wood. But I'm a left handed fellow, and this rifle won't adapt itself. Sooo-, I picked up a Stainless Ruger L.H.in the same 270 Win. and sold the Vanguard for the same $500 price. My rifle was more gun & less scope. While the Ruger is less gun, but more scope. I had a steel tube Weaver, and the Stainless Ruger sports a black Simmons Aetec variable. Of course I made my sale by explaining why Weatherby had to discontinue the fancy glued on pistol grips. The new Lead Sleds were ripping them off, and the factory's lifetime guarantee put the onus on them to repair what those sleds did. The buyer liked the California styling, and I think he will be very happy. I had to clean a ton of gunk out of the stainless barrel, but I held my breath and it seems to be accurate. So the Howa family is becoming a known quantity, and readily accepted, at least by the 90% of the population which is right handed. At least in my case, it brought someone with five C notes in his wallet, to my door. All I was out was the price of the local want ad. And incidentally, my Ruger replacement is a later Mark II, with the true controlled feed. This bolt face is smooth and doesn't have the earlier "Steel Ring", around it. It uses a blade ejector, not the early pin style. So I'm hoping the barrel will shoot without being filthy dirty, like the first Mark II's. I hope this gives some balance to the thread's take on the Howa family of rifles. Those fancy Deluxe Vanguards were the top of the heap, so to speak. They were a little on the heavy side, with 24" bbl's., and the Oriental hardwood stocks. My factory target was definitely sub M.O.A., but it was only three shots. As my barrel warmed up, it did start to walk, so there was more to do with bedding the barrel.

Well finally got to shoot the new Weatherby Vanguard S2 in 25-06, it will easily shoot sub-moa. It was a little finiky as far as what ammo it liked but the Nosler Custom Trophy Grade 100gr E-Tip shot excellent. The recoil pad looks kinda plain and generic but it really worked well, my nephew noticed the same thing. Simply put it was comfortable to shoot. The only thing wrong with the day on the range was my nephew out shot me, LOL. He's very calm and smooth with a gun in his hands. Enjoyed the day and it was finally not 108 degree's anymore.

Has anyone bought one of the series 2 yet? I heard about this rifle a couple of months ago, and still havent found a decent review on it. I find it almost unbelievable that Weatherby is offering a sub-moa rifle for $489 msrp. Cheaper than dirt has them for sale at $440, but I havent seen them anywhere else. All I can say is that I definately want one of these, but I would like to hear some feedback on them. The stock on them is probably a cheap injection molded plastic, but I need a synthetic for the wet winters down here in the south anyway. Can anyone tell me more about this rifle, or am I just going to have to buy one (I plan to anyway ).

I received my seeries 2 1 monthe ago chambered in 30-06. After 3 trips to the gun range and about 10 different bullet,powder variations I have found what the rifle loves. 57 grains of R-19 with Berger 168 grain VLD hunting bullets. I had to seat the bullets about .030 into the lands for them to work. I have shot 20 three shot groups with it and the largest group was 0.7" and the smallest group of 0.20". This gun shoots incredable for a out of the box factory gun. The only down side I found to this gun is that it has a big kick for a 30-06. All in all this rifle is great and looks good too!

I have a Vanguard Sporter in .257wby and love it. Only prob I've had is when it shot the 1.5" guarantee. That is not acceptable in my book. So after a little work and finding the right handload it is deer killing accurate beyond 400yds....no brags, just stating the facts. I'd try one of the new series in synthetic. I have a plastic stocked Savage .270win that is the most accurate rifle I've ever shot (the exploits I'll gladly keep to myself)